The Long Way Home
by redwolffclaw
Summary: "Juliet stared at Shawn's outstretched hand. While every fiber of her being wanted to go to him, she held back because this couldn't be real. Even though she so wanted it to be... it just couldn't." Juliet reunites with Shawn in an unlikely place. *Warning* Character Death


**AUTHOR'S NOTES: This whole story stemmed from listening to a song by Jeremy Messersmith called "A Girl, a Boy, and a Graveyard." It is a very beautiful song and I do recommend it. I've included the lyrics at the end of the story so you can get a feel for how it inspired me.**

**I never planned to write something like this. EVER. It isn't my style to kill off characters. However, as most writers know, when an idea hits you just right there is no stopping it. It eats away at you until it is expressed in one form or another. So, here is the result.**

**I do not own Psych**

**WARNING: CHARACTER DEATH**

* * *

**The Long Way Home**

The fallen leaves crunched under Juliet's bare feet as she walked through the rows of granite, marble and fieldstone. Statues, headstones and plaques dotted the landscape and her white gown brushed by them with soft whooshes of air.

Somehow, she knew where she was, but not how she had gotten there. The last thing she remembered was being at home, getting ready for bed. It had been a long day, and she had been very sore and tired. Fortunately for her, she had a good man that had been willing to rub her feet and make her feel better.

It suddenly struck her as odd that she was walking in the autumn evening and not getting a chill. She knew she should be cold, because she got cold so easily nowadays. Carlton had said it was because she was a woman.

_"Women are always cold. Marlowe's feet were always freezing." He frowned. "Still are."_

Juliet smiled at the memory and took in her surroundings. Off in the distance there was the ocean, the constant backdrop of Santa Barbara. Around her were a few weeping willows, which is how she knew exactly where she was. There was only one cemetery in town that had willows, and she'd avoided this place for more years than she cared to count.

Now, for some reason, she was here... and so was he.

Her breath caught in her throat as she spotted the familiar figure, someone it absolutely could not be.

"Shawn?"

She didn't expect him to turn around. She'd almost seen him like this a million times. In a crowd she'd spot a plaid shirt or hear a familiar laugh, but every time, when she really looked, he wasn't there. He was never there.

Until now.

His full head of brown hair, swirled back like she'd always loved it. His infectious smile; still as radiant as the last time she'd seen him.

_A crazed madman had kidnapped five women and two men and taken them to an undisclosed location He demanded money or he'd execute them . Not one by one, but all at once if he didn't get the two million in his bank account within the hour. Somehow, Shawn had figured out where he might be holed up; an empty office building his brother owned. She'd been reluctant to go against protocol, but he'd been so insistent. _

_ "Jules, I swear this lead is good. Just grab Lassie and we'll meet you there, okay sweetie?" Shawn gave Juliet a quick kiss and hopped into the Blueberry with a small wave._

"Hey Jules." Shawn smiled but kept his seat on the headstone. "You miss me?" She gasped as he reached out his hand for her.

Juliet stared at his hand. While every fiber of her being wanted to go to him, she held back because this couldn't be real. Even though she so wanted it to be... it just couldn't.

Shawn Spencer had been dead for thirty-three years.

_"Damn it, why does Spencer always do this!" Carlton grumbled and hit the petal harder. "Who knew that Greenpeace car could drive so fast."_

_ Juliet had been wringing her hands ever since she'd heard the urgency in Shawn's voice, telling her they were at the scene, and he could see the hostages._

"Shawn. . . how?"

Instead of answering, he smiled and hopped from the headstone to go to her. It took all her willpower not to shy away from him. It had been so long and part of her didn't want him to see her like this. He was still young, so handsome and she was...well, not so young anymore.

As if sensing her discomfort, he took her hand in his and slowly lifted it to his lips, kissing it softly. "You're still so beautiful."

_Shawn had the presence of mind to keep his phone on while he waited for them to show up. Juliet could hear him and Gus arguing about whether they should go in. For now, Gus was winning the argument. It was safer to wait._

_ She thanked God Shawn was listening to reason... until she heard them both gasp._

_ "He's going to kill them!" Shawn exclaimed and she heard fabric quickly rubbing against the microphone and knew he was running in. He could never stand back and watch people get hurt when he could do something to help._

_ "Shawn no don't! SHAWN!" She screamed into the phone, knowing it was probably too late._

"Jules? You with me?"

Juliet blinked and shook the memory away. It had been the worst day of her life; his too she imagined. "If this is real, does this mean that I'm−dead?"

With a sympathetic frown, he nodded. "Yeah honey. It does." Juliet, quickly took her hand out of his and wrapped her arms around herself . starting to cry. She couldn't be dead, she had people that needed her. People that _she _needed. Shawn laid a hand on her shoulder, "Hey, it's going to be okay."

She didn't mean to sound so harsh, but it came out that way when she asked, "Why are you here Shawn?"

He seemed hurt at the question and backed up, giving her some space while looking down at his sneakers. Those same obnoxious purple ones with the green laces he'd insisted on buying despite her argument that the only thing they matched was his purple hoodie, which she refused to let him wear.

"I waited for you sweetheart." Shawn admitted in a small voice that she'd only heard from him a scant handful of times before he'd died. "Was I not supposed to?"

"Yes, maybe...I don't know Shawn. I didn't expect this."

"_Why?_ You know I love you, right?"

Feeling her anger boil up inside her, she yelled, "Then why'd you _leave!"_

It was unfair of her to say, she knew it. He did what she would have done, or what anyone else decent would have done. Because of that, he died a hero.

_The first gunshot went off thirty seconds before they pulled up outside the office building. She couldn't hear anything but screams over the phone anymore. Both their guns were drawn before they even got out of the car._

_ The second gunshot went off as they passed the threshold. Juliet's blood pounded in her ears as she ran to where the hostages were being held. Inside, two bodies lay on the ground. She didn't have the time to see who they were because the killer was aiming at another person, his finger already tightening on the trigger. Her and her partner fired at the same time, multiple rounds hitting him in all the right areas to drop him dead to the ground instantly. _

_ As soon as the threat had been neutralized, Juliet closed her eyes, afraid of what she might see if she opened them. She heard a groan of pain; it meant someone was hurt, but alive. She took the chance of opening her eyes, and regretted it for the rest of her life._

For her and Shawn, there had been no last words, no sad goodbyes, or one more 'I love you.' Shawn had been the first one shot and the first one killed. He'd stalled the murderer long enough to save seven people, including Gus who'd run in right after him.

"You could have waited for me _then_." It was a hollow argument. One she'd had with Gus and Carlton for years. Of course, they'd always won.

Shawn's smile was back, but it was a sad one, "I could have, but I wouldn't have been able to live with myself anyway." He took a deep breath and looked around. First at the other gravestones, then at the overcast, gray sky. "Fitting day for a funeral, isn't it Jules?"

Dead for just over thirty years and he still changed the subject when he got uncomfortable. She decided to go with it. "It was sunny during yours."

"Yeah, but you know me." Shawn said with a shrug. There was an awkward silence before Shawn asked, "Did you want to watch?"

The question caught her off guard. Watch her own funeral? Should she? "Did you watch?"

Sighing Shawn admitted, "A little. I saw how mad you were at me."

Juliet bit her lip and turned away from him. Truth be told, she was still mad, furious even, but more because of the missed time, laughter, and life with him, rather than what he'd done. She'd gone completely numb for months; wouldn't talk to anyone, or even leave her house. Gus, Carlton, Henry and Karen were probably the only reason she didn't starve herself to death.

She'd come out of it slowly, but eventually moved on as much as she could after coming to terms with the fact that she couldn't wait around for someone who wasn't coming back.

"I don't really want to. I can't." Juliet said softly, playing with the wedding ring she had on her left hand.

Shawn, of course, didn't miss the gesture and nodded towards the ring. "Not even to say goodbye to him?"

Juliet looked up, suddenly worried. "You aren't mad are you? I mean, you waited all this time."

She didn't know what she expected, but it wasn't a laugh. It almost made her angry and she glared indignantly as he caught his breath. "Oh, you were always so cute when you looked at me like that." He took a few more calming breaths before continuing. "I didn't expect you to wait. I expected you to be happy... and I expected you to take longer to get here." His smile faltered with that last statement.

"Me too." A heart attack at sixty-four wasn't so uncommon. She remembered now that she'd gone to bed, and just never woke up. She could probably blame the many holiday meals at the Guster household for it, but she wouldn't have given them up for anything.

"Besides, you couldn't have picked a better guy," She smiled at his thoughtfulness, "other than _me_ that is." then she rolled her eyes at the very Shawn like answer.

"Don't let him hear you say that."

"I'll be sure to tell him when I see him."

"Not soon I hope," Juliet added, with a tinge of seriousness.

Shawn shook his head. "No, I don't think it will be soon." The wind blew and carried the music from the ceremony to them as the funeral began. "That's our cue."

"Where are we going?" Juliet looked back from where she came. She could barely make out the shapes sitting down in their designated chairs. "Aren't we going to wait for them too?"

"We can, but it doesn't have to be here babe." She gave him an unsure look and he cupped her face. "Think of it as them taking the scenic route. They'll get here in their time."

Juliet shook her head and stared at the procession. "Why did I have to go now? So many good things were happening." She thought of the big event she'd been helping plan; it was only two weeks away. She had so much more she wanted to do.

Shawn spun her around gently to face him, "Jules, life isn't just a board game with plastic cars and tiny pink and blue people. The only way to win in this life is to use the time you have to the fullest, and you totally did that. You should be proud."

Tears sprung to her eyes. "When did you become such a philosopher Shawn?"

"I had a while to read some headstones before you showed up. Thought it would come in handy."

Her tears started to fall as she laughed at his lame joke and finally gave in and hugged him. "That's why I love you."

Shawn squeezed her back for a few moments before he nodded. "You ready?"

"Yeah, I think I am." She gripped his hand harder. "Let's go."

* * *

Around the casket, four rows of chairs were set. Her family decided to have a small ceremony in lieu of bringing a bunch of people down to the cemetery. They'd have a larger gathering later but for now it was just close family. The front row included Karen; she was in her late 70's with Iris by her side keeping her company. Carlton and Marlowe sat next to her holding hands, but she had to keep reminding him to leave the oxygen attached to his nostrils, no matter how much it bugged him. Ewan, still muscular despite being in his late 60's was next down the line.

Farthest down the row, nearest to the coffin, sat Gus with a young black man and a very pregnant young woman, due in two weeks. Both were in their mid to late twenties. The young man had a small child on his lap. The little boy was small enough to not realize why they were hugging close together, staring at the coffin and the peaceful form inside it wearing a white gown.

"Would the family like to come up and speak?" The preacher asked.

Gus nodded sadly, and stood up with a wince. His daughter handed him his cane and he hobbled up towards the podium. He'd had the cane since getting the replacement hip thirty years ago, when he'd been shot as he too tried to distract the killer from the hostages.

As he headed up to say a few words he passed the headstone next to Juliet's and paused between them, looking back and forth. Tears started to blur his vision. If that night would have gone different, there would have been another name on her headstone, one that would match Shawn's. It seemed life had other plans, and those other plans had given him thirty years with a wonderful woman as well as two beautiful children.

"You take care of her Shawn, or I'm comin' up there," Gus said. Before marching the rest of the way to the podium, he reached out a fist and bumped the stone that said 'Shawn Spencer' and laid a hand on the one bearing the inscription of 'Juliet Guster' whispering, _"See you soon."_

* * *

**"A Girl, a Boy, and a Graveyard."**

**Lucy takes the long way home**  
** Meets me in a field of stone**  
** She says I don't know how I'm supposed to feel**  
** My body's cold my guts are twisted steel**

** I feel like I'm some kind of Frankenstein**  
** Waiting for a shock to bring me back to life**  
** But I don't want to spend my time**  
** Waiting for lightning to strike**

** Underneath a concrete sky**  
** Lucy puts her hand in mine**  
** She says life's a game we're meant to lose**  
** But stick by me and I will stick by you**

** I'm like a princess in a castle high**  
** Waiting for a kiss to bring me back to life**  
** But I don't want to spend my time**  
** Waiting for just another guy**

* * *

**END NOTES: Thanks for reading guys! I hope it didn't make anyone cry as much as it did me when I wrote it.**

****The biggest thank you in the world to Moondragon23 for reading through this for me and convincing me to post it. ****


End file.
